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The Lab’s team traveled around the country showing documentaries exploring […]
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The Lab’s team traveled around the country showing documentaries exploring created through CivActs and Integrity Icon. The documentaries showcase Icons and discuss government accountability and community responsibility. The project hosted five integrity dialogues and video screenings in Chivhu, Matobo, and Bulawayo at King George VI School, Emakhandeni, and Ingutsheni Central Hospital.
Chivhu
The screening and dialogue in Chivhu was facilitated through 2023 Integrity Icon Good Dembure. Dembure is a teacher at Makumimavi Primary School. He organizes chess clubs to teach primary aged girls skills in math and critical reasoning. Chief Chivese expressed support for the Integrity Icon campaign, and applauded 2022 Integrity Icon Godknows Dembure for his work. He urged civil servants and community members in attendance to uphold integrity. The screening was also attended by District Administrator, Mr. Michael Mariga, and the District Schools Inspector, Mr. Emmanuel Kwenda, who spoke about integrity as a tool for economic development.
Epworth
The Accountability Fellow, Lisa Gurudza, discussed the Integrity Icon campaign with community members. She shared the campaign message to name and fame Icons in their community, and moderated the discussion about government accountability. Members of the community commented on the campaign’s goal of ‘naming and faming’ public servants with integrity, and were impressed by the filmmaking process which included young people from the Film Fellowship.
Matobo
The campaign partnered with Matobo Youth Development to host an Icon film screening in Matobo. During the discussion, participants lamented the deteriorating integrity of the public service. Among the Matobo community’s accountability concerns were how politicians used political contributions and the management of public resources, including natural resources. Several participants used the opportunity of the screening to submit their nominations for the 2023 campaign.
Mpopoma
The CivActs initiative partnered with Film Fellowship alums to produce documentary films about the issues emanating for the first two years of the initiative being introduced. Among these is Drug Wars, produced by Jaqueline Arifandika that explores the drug abuse crisis from the perspectives of the Ntabazinduna community. The film was screened in Mpopoma with support from the filmmaker and 2023 Accountapreneur Zibusiso Mnandi. Residents there were concerned by the government’s poor response to the obvious crisis, and about the lack of adequate rehabilitation centers to assist survivors. They also discussed the National Drug Master Plan and the commitments made by the government to citizens. The meeting encouraged residents to engage their duty bearers on these promises.